The Centroc Water Security Study, designed to safeguard the Central West’s water supply for the next 50 years, was presented to the mayors of member councils yesterday.

The key recommendation was a proposal to expand Lake Rowlands from 4500 ML to 26,000 ML as a way of addressing Orange’s water crisis and aiding Cadia Mine.

This project would take between seven and 10 years.

At the same time, a leaked proposal to pipe water from Bathurst to Orange has been taken off the table, apparently replaced by the plan to pipe water to Oberon.

Bathurst mayor Paul Toole yesterday said such a pipeline would cost in excess of $20 million to build and $1 million a year to maintain.

“There is no way the people of Bathurst should be paying for any part of that pipeline,” he said.

Oberon mayor Keith Sullivan said talk of a pipeline takes the focus away from the real reason for Oberon’s water crisis – the massive amount of water being taken from their dam by State Water.

“If Bathurst gives us their water the state will just take it and give it to the power station,” he said.

Yesterday’s report also recommended building a pipeline from Ben Chifley dam to Bathurst, a proposal that was rejected by council.

A feasibility study undertaken by council earlier this year states that such a pipeline would not be feasible for at least 10 to 15 years.

Cr Toole said he and Cr Sullivan have had

further discussions with the Oberon mayor

indicating there may be better options for his

town than a pipeline.

“Oberon has had its guts ripped out by the sheer arrogance of State Water which is continually sucking the water from Oberon Dam for Delta Electricity,” Cr Toole said.

“This is a serious situation for Oberon. They are on level 7 water restrictions.

“It is unacceptable that the town has been left with no water for its own residents, industry,

businesses and tourism,” Cr Toole said.